Shelving system

ABSTRACT

A shelving system consists of shelf units arranged in rows to form passages therebetween and floors or catwalks are provided in the passages at a height which permits operators to walk beneath such floors, the floors preferably consist of gratings or grids supported by brackets hooked on to uprights forming part of the framework of the shelf units.

United States Patent 134-5, 177, 148 (AB); 248/243, 235, 247-8, 250, 174; 312/257, 257 (SK,SM); 287/54 (A-C); 248/174; 108/111, 114, 107,152,53,91, 144, 64-65 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,346,955 7/1920 Gustafson 248/188 2,691,238 10/1954 Svatos 211/123X 3,100,572 8/1963 Gingher et a1. 21 l/148X 3,306,466 2/1967 Liston 211/148 3,255,722 6/1966 Ferdinand et a1 108/144 Primary Examiner-Ramon S. Britts Attorney-Watson, Cole, Grindle and Watson ABSTRACT: A shelving system consists of shelf units arranged in rows to form passages therebetween and floors or catwalks are provided in the passages at a height which permits operators to walk beneath such floors, the floors preferably consist of gratings or grids supported by brackets hooked on to uprights forming part of the framework of the shelf units.

PATENTED HAY25 m1 SHEET 2 0F 3 SHELVING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to a shelving system comprising shelf units each including a frame having uprights by which the shelves are supported, the units being arranged in rows to form passages therebetween.

Shelving systems of the said kind may cover a considerable area and may reach very great heights because as many shelf units as permissible by the carrying capacity of the shelves, and with allowance for the shelf load to be expected, may be superimposed on each other. Because such shelving systems reach a height such that they can no longer be reached by an operator from the floor, access floors or catwalks must be incorporated.

It is a main object of the invention to provide for elevated floors to be installed without the use of special framework arranged to carry the floors.

SUMMARY According to the invention there is provided a shelving system comprising shelf units each including a frame having uprights by which the shelves are supported, said units being arranged in rows to form passages therebetween, and foot plates forming floors for the passages and supported at a height permitting persons to walk thereunder by metal brackets attached to said uprights. Thefoot plates may consist of gratings or grid plates. No special structures are required to carry the floors or catwalks in a shelving system of this kind. On the contrary, the floor-supporting function is fulfilled by the shelf units. The brackets may be fitted at any time without requiring any welding work or other metal working, e.g. such as the drilling of holes, on the shelf units. Even screw fasteners are omitted between the shelf unit and the brackets, because the brackets are attached by being hooked to the uprights.

The foot plates rest on plate bearing portions of the brackets and are secured thereto by bolts which pass through aligned holes in the plates and plate-bearing portions.

The lower end 'of each bracket is supported by a lug formed on an upright and its upper end is supported by cooperation with the upper end of the upright. The bracket includes first and second flanges at right angles one to the other in contact with adjoining side of the upright, the second flange being parallel tothe passage and the first flange directed away from the passage. The lower end of the first flange is provided with a projection which is inserted into the cavity formed in the upright by the punching out of said lug.

The frame includes upper longitudinal downwardly open C- section channels and the upper end of the first flange is provided with a hook portion which is at right angles to the first flange and is engaged between and rest on the free limbs defining the open side of the C-section channel.

The shelving system may include at the corners of a passage metal corner brackets each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage. Such corner brackets can bear the plates of the longitudinal catwalk as well as those of an intersecting transverse catwalk.

In a preferred embodiment each comer brackets consists of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets. This combination has the advantage that the corner brackets need not be produced as special brackets, but may be assembled from one of the first-mentioned brackets and an auxiliary bracket when required.

The auxiliary bracket may be provided with lugs engageable in vertical slots provided in the first flange of said first-mentioned bracket. Preferably the first and second plate-bearing portions of the auxiliary bracket are offset one from the other by the thickness of the metal, and wherein the first plate-bearing portion has a hole alignable with the hole in the plate-bearing portion of said first-mentioned bracket. The said vertical slots are so spaced from the second flange of said first-mentioned bracket that when the auxiliary bracket is assembled with the first-mentioned bracket said second flange engages one side of an upright and a flange of the auxiliary bracket engages an opposite side of the upright.

The first-mentioned bracket may be provided with a limb portion provided with holes permitting the fastening of a sheathing plate thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bracket being attached to an upright shelf support,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but showing the bracket fully attached to the upright shelf support,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an auxiliary bracket,

FIG. 4 is a view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 2 as seen from a different direction, and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a part of a shelving system according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, the shelving system illustrated in FIG. 5 consists of a plurality of upright shelf units la to lo.

Only the two shelf units 1a, 1b, which are back-to-back, are fully visible, whereas the other units 10 to 10 are but partially visible. Each of the shelf units has a base 2, four uprights 3 and a top 4. The uprights 3 are pushed into pockets provided in the base 2. In the shelf units illustrated, the uprights are of C-section, and have their open side facing outwards. Lugs 5 are punched out of the bases of the uprights to act as bearers for shelves.

As shown in FIG. 5, the shelf units lc,1d,lg,1h,lm,ln,10 are superimposed on the shelf units la,1b,le,lf,li,lk which latter stand on the floor. In order to establish correct location of the superimposed shelf units, locating ledges 6, FIG. 4, are provided on the upper sides of the tops 4. Between rows of backto-back units there are provided passages or corridors 7. Passages or corridors 8 are also provided between the ends of rows of shelf units. A passage or corridor 7 will hereinafter be referred to as a longitudinal passage or corridor, and a passage or corridor 8 as a transverse passage or corridor. The height of an individual shelf unit is such that an operative standing on the floor can still reach the top shelf of the unit. The superimposed units such as lc cannot, however, be reached from the floor. For this reason the system is provided with elevated floors which may, for example, consist of gratings or grid plates. Such a grating 9 is partially illustrated in FIG. 5. The grid plates or gratings 9 are carried by brackets described below. Brackets 10 which are located between the ends of a passage or corridor are referred to as principal brackets, and brackets which are located at the ends of a passage or corridor, as at the junction of the passages 7 and 8, are referred to as corner brackets.

The principal bracket illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 has a first flange 11 of substantially trapezoidal form which is at right angles to a second flange 12 of rectangular form. The lower end of the flange 11 is provided with a projection 13, FIG. 1, and the upper end of the flange 11 is provided with a plate-bearing portion 14 which is also at right angles to flange 11 and which acts as the bearing surface of the bracket. A hole 15 is provided in the portion 14. The flange 11 is also provided with two elongated slots 16a and 16b the function of which is described below. In addition to the portion 14, a hook portion 17 spaced from portion 14, as shown in FIG. 1, is provided at the upper end of flange 11 and is at right angles to flange 11. The portions 14 and 17 are separated from each other by a gap 18. The width b, FIG. 2, of the portion 17 is slightly less than that of the aperture between the limbs 19 of the C-section channel 20 which forms part of the top 4 of the shelf unit.

FIG. 1 shows a form of principal bracket modified from that shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. During attachment of the bracket to an upright of the shelf unit the lug 13 is first pushed into the slot 21 which is formed behind the top press-out lug 22 of the shelf unit upright 3. The shelf unit uprights 3 according to FIGS. 1 to 4 differ from the shelf upright 3 shown in FIG. 5 in that they consist of a C-section 23 without lugs 5, and of an U- shaped section 24 with punched-out lugs 22, Whereas the uprights 3 are in one piece. The uprights 3 have the base of the C-section 23 facing outwards, whereas the open side of the section faces inwards, that is to say contrary to the uprights 3. The inserted U-shaped sections 24 rest with their lower ends on the shelf bases 2. After insertion of the projection 13 into the slot 21, the bracket is tilted into the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, that is they are positioned to be parallel to the upright with the hook portion 17 engaged between the limbs 19 of the section 20. The parts 11 and 12 of the bracket are engaged against the upright. The plates 9 are laid on the nearer portions 14 and are secured thereto by screws passed through theholes l5 and the plates 9. The screws may be clip bolts or straight bolts passed through a thrust plate laid on the floor plates 9. The vertical forces generated by the weight of v the floor plates 9 and from the loads carried thereby are transmitted to the uprights by the lugs 22 and the hook portions 17 of the principal brackets. Tipping of the brackets in the direction of the passage or corridor is prevented by contact of the part 12 with the upright. The engagement of the hook portion 17 in the frame section 20 assures additional fastening.

FIG. 3 illustrates an auxiliary bracket, which consists of a plate 25, a bearing surface 26 and a second plate 27 adjacent to the bearing surface 26. These two surfaces are formedby right-angled bending of the plate 25. A hole 28 is provided in the surface 26. The second plate 27 merges into the surface 26 through an angled bend 29 and is situated lower than the surface 26 by the thickness of the metal. A hole 30 is also provided in the second plate 27. The plate is of substantially triangular shape. Two lugs 31a and 31b are provided on the vertical edge of the triangle.

The auxiliary bracket may be fastened to a principal bracket 10, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 4. When secured to the principal bracket, the lugs 31a, 31b engage in the slots 16a,

16b of the principal bracket 10. The second plate 27 fits under coming into alignment. The auxiliary bracket and the principal bracket conjointly form a corner bracket 11 (see FIG. 5). It will be seen from FIG. 5 that the bearing plate of the principal bracket protrudes into the passage or corridor 7, whereas the bearing plate of the auxiliary bracket protrudes into the transverse passage or corridor 8. The foot plates 9 of the longitudinal passage or corridor 7 as well as the foot plates 9 of the transverse passage or corridor 8 may be laid on a comer bracket of this kind, formed by a principal bracket and auxiliary bracket, the sole presupposition being that the plates 9 in at least one passage extend only as far as a corner. The final fixing of the auxiliary bracket on the principal bracket is assured by the fact that the plate fastening bolts traverse the two aligned holes 15 and 30.

FIG. 1 illustrates a modified principal bracket. As compared with the principal brackets of FIGS. 2 and 4, the principal bracket of FIG. 1 has an additional limb portion 32, which is adjacent to the portion 12, and has two holes 33. The limb portion 32 lies in the same plane as the outer side of the upright 3'. Such brackets are fitted at the end of a shelf unit and permit. the screwing on of lateral sheathing panels, without having to provide special fastening devices for this purpose.

Iclaim:

1. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to the upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted at the units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each'bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the brackets includes first and second flanges at right angles one to the other in contact with adjoining side of the upright, the

second flange directed away from the passage, and said frame including upper longitudinal downwardly open C-section channels and the upper end of the first flange is provided with a hook portion which is at right angles to the first flange and is engaged between and rests on the free limbs defining the open side of the C-section channel.

2. A shelving system according to claim 1 wherein the lower end of each bracket is supported by a lug formed on an upright and its upper end is supported by cooperation with the upper end of the upright, wherein the bracket includes first and second flanges at right angles one to the other in contact with adjoining side of the upright, the second flange beingparallel to the passage and the first flange directed away from the passage, and the lower end of the first flange being provided with a projection which is inserted into the cavity formed in the upright by the punching out of said lug, said frame including upper longitudinal downwardly open C-section channels and the upper end of the first flange is provided with a hook portion which is at right angles to the first flange and is engaged between and rests on the free limbs defining the open side of the C-section channel.

3. A shelving system according to claim 1, in which metal comer brackets are provided at the corners of a passage, each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, and each corner bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets.

4. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to the upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted at the units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the foot plates resting on plate-bearing portions of the brackets and are secured thereto by bolts which pass through aligned holes in the plates and plate-bearing portions, and including at the comers of a passage metal corner brackets each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, each comer bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets.

5. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to the upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted atthe units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the foot plates resting on plate-bearing portions of the brackets and are secured thereto by bolts which pass through aligned holes in the plates and plate-bearing portions, and including at the comers of a passage metal comer brackets each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, each comer bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets, and the auxiliary bracket being provided with lugs engageable in vertical slots provided in the first flange of said first-mentioned bracket.

6. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to the upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted at the units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the foot plates resting on plate-bearing portions of the brackets and are secured thereto by bolts which pass through aligned holes in the plates and plate-bearing portions, and including at the comers of a passage metal comer brackets each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, each corner bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets, the first and second plate-bearing portions of the auxiliary bracket are offset one from the other by the thickness of the metal and the first plate-bearing portion has a hole alignable with the hole in the plate-bearing portion of said first-mentioned bracket.

7. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to the upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted at the units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the foot plates resting on plate-bearing portions of the brackets and are secured thereto by bolts which pass through aligned holes in the plates and plate-bearing portions, and including at the corners of a passage metal corner brackets each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, each corner bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets, and the auxiliary bracket being provided with lugs engageable in vertical slots provided in the first flange of said first-mentioned bracket said vertical slots being so spaced from the second flange of said first-mentioned bracket that when the auxiliary bracket is assembled with the first'mentioned bracket said second flange engages one side of an upright and a flange of the auxiliary bracket engages an opposite side of the upright.

8. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to the upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted at the units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the foot plates resting on plate-bearing portions of the brackets and are secured thereto by bolts which pass through aligned holes in the plates and plate-bearing portions, and including at the comers of a passage metal comer brackets each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, each comer bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets, and the auxiliary bracket being provided with lugs engageable in vertical slots provided in the first flange of said first-mentione'd bracket, said vertical slots being so spaced from the second flange of said first-mentioned bracket that when the auxiliary bracket is assembled with the first-mentioned bracket said second flange engages one side of an upright and a flange of the auxiliary bracket engaging an opposite side of the upright. 

1. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to the upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted at the units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the brackets includes first and second flanges at right angles one to the other in contact with adjoining side of the upright, the second flange directed away from the passage, and said frame including upper longitudinal downwardly open C-section channels and the upper end of the first flange is provided with a hook portion which is at right angles to the first flange and is engaged between and rests on the free limbs defining the open side of the C-section channel.
 2. A shelving system according to claim 1 wherein the lower end of each bracket is supported by a lug formed on an upright and its upper end is supported by cooperation with the upper end of the upright, wherein the bracket includes first and second flanges at right angles one to the other in contact with adjoining side of the upright, the second flange being parallel to the passage and the first flange directed away from the passage, and the lower end of the first flange being provided with a projection which is inserted into the cavity formed in the upright by the punching out of said lug, said frame including upper longitudinal downwardly open C-section channels and the upper end of the first flange is provided with a hook portion which is at right angles to the first flange and is engaged between and rests on the free limbs defining the open side of the C-section channel.
 3. A shelving system according to claim 1, in which metal corner brackets are provided at the corners of a passage, each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, and each corner bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets.
 4. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to the upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted at the units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the foot plates resting on plate-bearing portions of the brackets and are secured thereto by bolts which pass through aligned holes in the plates and plate-bearing portions, and including at the corners of a passage metal corner brackets each of which comprises first and seCond plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, each corner bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets.
 5. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to the upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted at the units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the foot plates resting on plate-bearing portions of the brackets and are secured thereto by bolts which pass through aligned holes in the plates and plate-bearing portions, and including at the corners of a passage metal corner brackets each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, each corner bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets, and the auxiliary bracket being provided with lugs engageable in vertical slots provided in the first flange of said first-mentioned bracket.
 6. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to the upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted at the units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the foot plates resting on plate-bearing portions of the brackets and are secured thereto by bolts which pass through aligned holes in the plates and plate-bearing portions, and including at the corners of a passage metal corner brackets each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, each corner bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets, the first and second plate-bearing portions of the auxiliary bracket are offset one from the other by the thickness of the metal and the first plate-bearing portion has a hole alignable with the hole in the plate-bearing portion of said first-mentioned bracket.
 7. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to the upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted at the units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the foot plates resting on plate-bearing portions of the brackets and are secured thereto by bolts which pass through aligned holes in the plates and plate-bearing portions, and including at the corners of a passage metal corner brackets each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, each corner bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets, and the auxiliary bracket being provided with lugs engageable in vertical slots provided in the first flange of said first-mentioned bracket said vertical slots being so spaced from the second flange of said first-mentioned bracket that when the auxiliary bracket is assembled with the first-mentioned bracket said second flange engages one side of an upright and a flange of the auxiliary bracket engages an opposite side of the upright.
 8. A shelving system comprising a plurality of shelf units each independent from the others, the plurality of stacks of shelf units being mounted one on the other, brackets of sheet metal secured to tHe upper ends of the shelf units by being inserted at the units, each bracket having a bearing surface plate to support a plate constituting part of a gangway thereabove, and each bracket being removably mounted on its unit, the foot plates resting on plate-bearing portions of the brackets and are secured thereto by bolts which pass through aligned holes in the plates and plate-bearing portions, and including at the corners of a passage metal corner brackets each of which comprises first and second plate-bearing portions of which one protrudes into one passage and the other protrudes into a second passage, each corner bracket consisting of an auxiliary bracket attached to one of said first-mentioned brackets, and the auxiliary bracket being provided with lugs engageable in vertical slots provided in the first flange of said first-mentioned bracket, said vertical slots being so spaced from the second flange of said first-mentioned bracket that when the auxiliary bracket is assembled with the first-mentioned bracket said second flange engages one side of an upright and a flange of the auxiliary bracket engaging an opposite side of the upright. 